taking Shanklin prisoner. It was this woods that was retaken on Saturday nigh, as before described.

The troops of my division behaved admirably. I could not wish them to behave more gallantly. The Ninth and Seventeenth Brigades, under the lead of their gallant commanders, Scribner and Beatty, were, as well as the Twenty-eighth Brigade, Colonel Starkweather, veterans. They were with me at Chaplin Hills, and could not act badly. The Twenty-eighth Brigade held a position in our front after the first day's fighting, and did it bravely, doing all that was required of them, like true soldiers. The brigade of United States infantry, Lieut. Col. O. L. Shepherd commanding, was on the extreme right. On that body of brave men the shock of battle fell heaviest, and its loss was most severe. Over one third of the command fell, killed or wounded; but it stood up to the work and bravely breasted the storm, and, though Major King, commanding the Fifteenth, and Major Slemmer ["Old Pickens"], commanding the Sixteenth, fell, severely wounded, and Major Carpenter, commanding the Nineteenth, fell dead in the last charge, together with many other brave officers and men, the brigade did not falter for a moment. These three battalions were a part of my old [Fourth] brigade at the battle of Shiloh.

The Eighteenth Infantry, Majors Townsend and Caldwell commanding, were new troops to me, but I am now proud to say we know each other.

If I could, I would promote every officer and several non commissioned officers and privates of this brigade of regulars, for gallantry and good service in this terrific battle. I make no distinction between these troops and my brave volunteer regiments, for, in my judgment, there never were better troops than those regiments, in the world. But the troops of the line are soldiers by profession, and, with a view to the future, I feel it my duty to say what I have of them. The brigade was admirably and gallantly handled by Lieutenant-Colonel Shepherd.

I lost some of the best and bravest officers I had. Lieutenant-Colonel Kell, commanding the Second Ohio, was killed. After he fell his regiment was efficiently handled by Major Anson G. McCook, who ought to be made colonel of that regiment, for gallantry on the field.

Colonel Forman, my brave boy colonel, of the Fifteenth Kentucky, also fell; Major Carpenter, of the Nineteenth Infantry, fell in the last charge. His loss is irreparable. Many other gallant officers were lost, whose names will appear in the list of casualties.

Of the batteries of Guenther and Loomis I cannot say too much. Loomis was chief of artillery for the Third Division, and I am much indebted to him. His battery was commanded by Lieutenant Van Pelt. Guenther is but a lieutenant. Both of these men deserve to promoted, and ought to be at once. Without them we could not have held our position in the center.

I fell in with many gallant regiments and officers on the field not of my command. I wish I could name all of them here. While falling back to the line in the open field, I saw Col. Charles Anderson gallantly and coolly rallying his men. Colonel Grider, of Kentucky, and his regiment efficiently aided in repulsing the enemy. The Eighteenth Ohio, I think it was, though I do not know any of its officers, faced about and charged the enemy in my presence, and I went along with it. The Eleventh Michigan and its gallant little colonel [I do not know his name certainly, but believe it is Stoddart] [Stoughton] behaved well, and the Sixth Ohio Infantry, Col. Nick Anderson, joined my command on the right of the regular brigade, and stood manfully up to the work. I fell in with the Louisville Legion in retreat, Lieutenant-Colonel Berry commanding.